Work table having adjustable hose support

ABSTRACT

A work table includes a table plate having a slot for attaching a tool device, and a coupler for coupling to a vacuum device, a shield engaged onto the tool device for shielding the tool device and for gathering the dust, a hose coupling device coupled between the shield and the coupler, and a supporting device for adjustably supporting the hose coupling device to the work table at any required position. The hose coupling device may include two flexible hose members coupled to the shield and the coupler, and a rigid hose member coupled between the flexible hose members, and a rod extended from the rigid hose member for adjustably securing to the table with one or more brackets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a work table, and more particularly toa work table including a supporting device for adjustably attaching andsupporting a hose to the work table and for suitably positioning thehose to the work table at the required or the predetermined position andfor preventing the hose from interfering with the operation of the worktable.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical work tables comprise a base table body and a machining tooldevice, such as a table saw, a round saw, a milling tool, a cuttingdevice, a grinding member or other machining tools supported in the basetable body for working or machining the work pieces.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,444 to Shiotani et al. discloses one ofthe typical saw blade position setting apparatuses comprising a circularsaw supported in a support frame, a safety cover engaged onto thecircular saw for shielding the cut chips and for preventing the cutchips from flying everywhere, and a hose member for discharging the cutchips.

However, normally, the hose member for discharging the cut chips is notsupported in place and may interfere with the operation of the worktable.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,717 to Tucker et al. discloses another typicalrouter table fence system comprising a dust chute for gathering the dustand coupled to a dust removal system or vacuum cleaner.

However, similarly, the hose member coupled to the dust chute fordischarging the dust is also not supported in place and may interferewith the operation of the router table.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,643 to Wang discloses a further typical table toolhaving a movable shield and comprising one or more cutting or sawingtool members, and a shield movably attached to the table and having amouth for coupling to a vacuum cleaner or vacuum device.

However, similarly, the hose member coupled to the mouth for dischargingthe dust or the cut chips also may not be suitably or adjustablysupported in place and may interfere with the operation of the tabletool.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional work tables ormachining tools.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a worktable including a supporting device for adjustably attaching andsupporting a hose to the work table and for suitably positioning thehose to the work table at the required or the predetermined position andfor preventing the hose from interfering with the operation of the worktable.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a worktable comprising a table body including a table plate disposed on topfor supporting a work piece, and including a slot formed in the tableplate for attaching a tool device, and including a coupler, a shieldengaged onto the tool device for covering and shielding the tool deviceand for gathering a dust, a hose coupling device coupled between theshield and the coupler, and a supporting device for supporting the hosecoupling device to the table body at any required position and forpreventing the hose from interfering with the operation of the worktable.

The hose coupling device includes a first flexible hose member coupledto the shield, a second flexible hose member coupled to the coupler, anda rigid hose member coupled between the first and the second flexiblehose members, and the supporting device includes a rod extended from therigid hose member for adjustably securing to the table body.

The supporting device includes at least one bracket secured to the tablebody and having a casing, and the casing includes chamber formed thereinfor slidably receiving the rod and for allowing the rod to be moved orslid or adjusted relative to the table body and for adjustably attachingand supporting the hose coupling device to the table body at therequired position.

The supporting device includes a fastener threaded or attached orsecured to the bracket for engaging with the rod and for adjustablysecuring the rod and the hose coupling device to the table body of thework table to any required or the predetermined position.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a work table in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the work table;

FIG. 3 is a top plan schematic view of the work table; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan schematic view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating theoperation of the work table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a work table 1 inaccordance with the present invention comprises a base table body 10including a table plate 11 disposed on top for supporting work pieces 80(FIGS. 3, 4), and including a slot 12 formed in the upper portion of thetable plate 11 for receiving or attaching a machining tool device 20,such as a table saw or circular saw 20, a round saw, a milling tool, acutting device, a grinding member or the like which may be used forworking or machining the work pieces 80. A safety hood or shield 21 mayfurther be provided and engaged with or onto the machining tool device20 for covering or shielding the machining tool device 20 and forgathering or collecting or discharging the cut chips or the dust thatmay be generated by the tool device 20.

The table body 10 includes a door 13 openably attached thereto androtatable or openable relative to the table body 10 (FIGS. 3, 4) forselectively reaching or entering into the table body 10 and forrepairing or maintaining the tool members (not shown) received in thetable body 10. For example, the table body 10 may include a vacuumdevice (not shown) attached or disposed therein for vacuuming orcollecting or discharging the cut chips or the dust, and includes acoupler 14 (FIGS. 1, 2) for coupling to the vacuum device. The worktable 1 in accordance with the present invention further comprises ahose coupling device 3 adjustably attached and supported on the worktable with an adjustable supporting means or device 4 for suitablypositioning the hose coupling device 3 to the work table 1 at therequired or the predetermined position.

The hose coupling device 3 may include a first flexible hose member 30coupled to the shield 21, a second flexible hose member 31 coupled tothe vacuum device or the coupler 14 of the vacuum device, and a rigid ornon-flexible hose member 33 coupled to the flexible hose members 30, 31or coupled between the flexible hose members 30, 31. The adjustablesupporting device 4 may include a rail or rod 40 extended from orattached to the hose coupling device 3, such as attached to the rigidhose member 33 of the hose coupling device 3, and includes one or more(such as two) brackets 41 each having a casing 42 and one or more (suchas two) flaps 43 extended from the casing 42 for securing to the tablebody 10 with fasteners 44 or the like.

The casings 42 of the brackets 41 each includes a chamber 45 formedtherein for slidably receiving the rod 40 and thus for adjustablyattaching and supporting the hose coupling device 3 to the table body 10of the work table 1, and each includes a screw hole 46 formed thereinand communicating with the chamber 45 of the casing 42 for threading orengaging with a fastener 47 which may adjustably secure the rod 40 andthe hose coupling device 3 to the table body 10 of the work table 1 atthe required or the predetermined position and for the hose couplingdevice 3 from interfering with the working or the operation of the tablebody 10 of the work table 1.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 3, the rod 40 and the hose couplingdevice 3 may be moved and adjusted relative to the table body 10 of thework table 1 to any required or the predetermined position and may beadjustably secured to the table body 10 of the work table 1 at therequired or the predetermined position by the fastener 47. As shown inFIG. 4, for example, when it is required to open the door 13 relative tothe table body 10, the door 13 may be blocked or interfered with by therod 40 and the hose coupling device 3. At this moment, the rod 40 andthe hose coupling device 3 may be moved and adjusted relative to thetable body 10 of the work table 1 to the other position for preventingthe opening or the operation of the door 13 to be interfered with by therod 40 and the hose coupling device 3.

Accordingly, the work table in accordance with the present inventionincludes a supporting device for adjustably attaching and supporting ahose to the work table and for suitably positioning the hose to the worktable at the required or the predetermined position and for the hosefrom interfering with the operation of the work table.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A work table comprising: a table body having a table plate disposedthereon for supporting a work piece, wherein said table plate has a slotformed therein for operatively attaching a tool device; a hose couplingdevice which is adapted for connecting with a vacuum device to suck cutchips and dusts generated by said tool device, and comprises a firstflexible hose member adjustably supported by said table body at aposition in a vicinity of said slot for communication with said tooldevice, a second flexible hose member supported on said table body andarranged to communicate with said vacuum device, and a non-flexible hosemember extended between and connecting said first and said secondflexible hose members for allowing said cut chips and said dusts to besucked from said first flexible host member to said second flexible hosemember through said non-flexible hose member; and an adjustablesupporting device provided on said table body for adjustably andsecurely mounting said hose coupling device to said table body at apredetermined position so as to allow said vacuum device to remove bysuction said cut chips and said dusts from said tool device through saidhose coupling device as adjustably supported by said adjustablesupporting device without interfering with an operation of said tooldevice, wherein said adjustable supporting device comprises a rodextended from said hose coupling device and further comprises at leastone bracket having a casing and a plurality of flaps extended from saidcasing, said rod extended from said non-flexible hose member, whereinsaid bracket is mounted to said table body and said casing of saidbracket forms a chamber therein, and wherein said rod is slidablyreceived in said chamber for adjustably attaching said hose couplingdevice to said table body through at least one fastener for adjustablysecuring said hose coupling device to said table body at saidpredetermined position.
 2. The work table, as recited in claim 1,further comprising a safety hood supported by said table body at aposition near said slot for shielding said tool device, said safety hoodconnected with said first flexible hose member for guiding said cutchips and said dusts so as to be effectively removed by suction fromsaid tool device.
 3. The work table, as recited in claim 2, wherein saidtable body further comprises a door movably attached thereto forallowing a user to selectively gain access into said table body.
 4. Thework table, as recited in claim 1, wherein said table body furthercomprises a door movably attached thereto for allowing a user toselectively gain access into said table body.